If I wasn't dying right now
by Toomuchloveforthisworld
Summary: The one where Emma doesn't look where she's walking and gets pulled into trouble. "The only thing that's different about Neverland quick sand is the fact that it repels magic. You've probably lost yours temporarily by being stuck in it." "Why are you so calm? We're going to die unless we can figure a way out!"


**A/N: Hi, thanks for checking out my story! I'm a first time OUAT writer (please be gentle). I absolutely love Emma and Hook, if it wasn't apparent. So after reading a million Captain Swan stories and listening to my geology professor talk about quick sand an idea was born…**

**I have reread this story so many times that I'm not sure what I'm reading anymore. Therefore, please excuse any mistakes that I'm sure to make. **

**I own nothing except the idea…hopefully. If not, my bad…hope you like it anyway.**

**Enjoy and please drop a review after, good, bad, ugly. I appreciate them all.**

"Kiss me" he whispered. After a moment of complete silence he let out a shaky breath "please…"

Four Hours Earlier

"You never give up do you?" Emma spoke with an indifferent expression plastered across her features. Hook had relentlessly and shamelessly flirted with her every chance that he got. Of course she hated the advances, especially from him. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. Ever since they had landed here and she had gotten to know him better she saw a bit of herself in him. No matter how many times she told him to get away from her she was glad every time that he monopolized her time from the others. He was the one constant piece of normalcy in all of this. She was worried sick, literally, about Henry and being with anyone else in their troop never failed to be uncomfortable. Mary Margret and David tried to get to know her more as their daughter, looking upon her with pitying eyes and endless empty words of encouragement. The other day Mary Margaret latched onto her as she was trying to stay busy doing chores around the ship, in less than a good mood, apparently trying to play twenty questions. Thankfully she'd reigned in her annoyance. She knew that Mary Margaret was only trying to be a good mother and help to take her mind off of the situation, but it only helped to remind her that she still had so many questions about Henry's life. She had let him go once and it would never happen again. She had to do better, be better for him.

Regina and Gold were just plain annoying. Regina never resisted the urge to tear her down, even through their shared worry over Henry's safety. Although she tempered her impulses at letting snarky comments slip out about Emma, some managed to slip through the cracks in the levy that she'd built. Gold was distant and didn't seem particularly helpful anytime that they were alone, though they had also shared the loss of Neal not too long ago.

Even though they had found Neal, held captive on Neverland she knew that she could never be with him in a relationship again. The cave had made her bring her darkest thoughts to the surface when they were recuing him, but it was her harsh truth. She could never be with him again other than in a friendly capacity and through their bond with Henry. He was still Henry's father and she had loved him once upon a time, _(Ironic)_ but that was another place and another time.Right now, though, she was all business and Neal was trying to help them get to Henry faster, but she was never truly comfortable around him. It felt suffocating, sometimes.

Hook never looked at her with pity, only respect and something else that had popped up recently. He never spoke empty sentiments and he never spoke to her in an undermining way unless he was being cheeky. But it didn't matter. She didn't care about him, right?

"How can I possibly hope to win if I give up?" he said with a half grin that had been plastered to his face for the past ten minutes. They had left to scout part of the island. Everyone else was waiting aboard the ship. This was something that they'd done many times before.

The first time they had gone out alone, Emma was restless and needed to get off of the ship. It was barely dawn and she had been in the process of trying to leave alone when Hook walked on deck, nearly having a heart attack at the sight. After a long talking to about the dangers of Neverland he had reluctantly given into her, as he always does. If she was to leave the ship he needed to go with her and someone else needed to know in case they didn't come back. It was Emma's turn to reluctantly agree. After waking Mary Margaret and explaining that they were leaving for a while, they made their way off the ship and returned only a few hours later with no new information. This had happened frequently afterward as a means of keeping Emma from falling off of the deep end. A small part of her was thankful that he'd caught her that first day, because it was nice to have company with her on this unforgiving island. Although she had a fondness for their ridiculous bickering, her favorite days were the ones where they didn't speak. When they just walked along in companionable silence, with neither seeing a reason to break the silent streak that they'd initiated.

Today, however, he was a regular chatty Cathy. He talked about anything and everything. Making the appropriate innuendos whenever the occasion afforded him the chance, which he made sure was frequent. _He's lucky I'm in a good mood today._ And she was in a good mood. Uncharacteristically, since they'd been here, she woke up with a new found determination. Something good was going to happen today, she could feel it on the air. _Now that I think about it like that it seems a little weird. On the wind? Maybe it's like a magic thing…I can make fire appear by thinking about it and the wind can carry omens…yeah, I think there's something in the water._ Just then she was shaken from her confusing inner rambling by Hook calling her name. From the sound of it, it wasn't the first time that he had called her.

"Hmm? What'd you say Hook?"

"I said, be careful. There's known to be pits of quick sand around here and we don't need us getting caught in them." He called from over his shoulder, while moving tree branches from the path with his good arm.

Emma was about to make a retort about how this island was so full of obstacles it's a wonder that anyone could function here from day to day. How'd he do it for so many years without losing his other hand? Or his life? The sassy words were caught in her mouth because at that moment she realized that her foot was stuck on something. _What the hell?_ There was a vice like grip around her ankles with a sensation that felt a lot like dragging. Then as she looked down at her immobile limbs, her stomach dropped and she uttered those famous last words of a black box, "Oh shit!"

Hook having heard her muffled shout turned back noticing that Emma was further behind than he'd thought. Rushing to her side he called, "Emma, what's happened, love?"

"Oh, I stopped to have a tea party, care to join me? What the hell do you think happened!? I'm stuck in quick sand! Get me a branch or something and help me out of here."

The rescue never came. While rushing to her side the lovesick Captain misplaced his own feet and couldn't move from the spot he'd recently taken up beside her.

"Great, now we're both trapped here. Is there any crazy stuff that we can do to get out of this stupid sand?" Emma asked frustrated beyond belief. _What happened to those good feelings floating on the breeze? I must have had too much rum last night. Why would anything work in my favor on this island? _

"What crazy things do you suppose would aid us? Perhaps a kiss would aid us, love?" Hook suggested with a flash of mischief in his eyes.

"Sure, Hook" for a second he was hopeful, before she added, "why don't you flail around a little and I'll get ready"

"Well, lass, that was rude. If I'm to die I might as well do it happily. There is no way to charm ourselves out of this, its quick sand"

"You're lucky. If I wasn't dying right now, I'd come over there and kick your ass" By now they were up to their knees in the sand and Emma was becoming increasingly frazzled by the situation.

"Okay, so...what now? There must be a way out. Tell your darkest secrets and a cave sets you free...can't we like... I don't know, wish our way out or something? Use magic?" Emma was trying very hard not to move so that she wouldn't sink faster. Her brain was working in overdrive to come up with a suitable solution. Alas, her efforts seemed to be fruitless. She momentarily paused her frantic scan of their surroundings to glance at Hook who seemed cool as a cucumber.

"No, love" he sighed shallowly, meeting her panic filled eyes "The only thing that's different about Neverland quick sand is the fact that it repels magic. You've probably lost yours temporarily by being stuck in it."

Suddenly her panic turned to anger "Why are you so calm!? We're going to die unless we can figure a way out!" Once again she resumed her observations of the surrounding landscape.

"Lass, you need to relax. You'll sink quicker if you don't. We need to calm down and think" gently he reached across the four foot distance between them and took her hand in his. Half expecting her to be startled by his touch and punch him in the face, he was the one surprised when she held his hand tighter before letting it go a few seconds later.

"Okay. You're right. We just need to calm down and think...what are you staring at?"

"Say it again" Emma was momentarily struck by his sudden seriousness. The way that he was suddenly looking at her, right in the eyes, it slightly unnerved her. What had she just said? Ooh..."Only this once, Hook." Then she took a breath and looked him square in the eye as he gazed at her face "You were right" she let out with a smirk slowly taking residence on her face. A smirk, that seemed to be, mirrored on his own face. In a moment that felt like forever the trance was broken. Hook was the first to recover, "I'm going to remember that, love. Don't think I'll ever hear such sweet sentiments again"

"You should because I'm not likely to supply them."

"Was that a roundabout way of saying that I was right once again? I do believe you'll spoil me" Emma tried hard to keep the smile from her face, but it was no use. Hook was the only thing keeping her sane at the moment. _Oh, who are you fooling, more like he's been keeping you sane the entire trip,_ she thought. They lapsed into companionable silence for a while, with both contemplating their options of rescue.

"Well, someone finding us is out of the question. We've only just left. They won't come searching for at least another two hours" Hook ventured in order to arouse their previous efforts. Luckily Emma calmly took the bait.

"Maybe longer. We stayed out four hours yesterday before we were back. It wouldn't surprise me if they waited"

By now an hour had gone by. Emma managed to reign in her laughter when Hook tried to grab a low hanging vine one too many feet away. While it was humorous to watch, it also left her with a sense of dread. They were sinking faster than she thought. The sand was coming up to their waists. Hook's display had cost him a few inches on top of that.

"I think that I read somewhere that if you took it slow you may be able to swim out of quick sand"

"Do you really think that's possible, love? You know that swimming involves laying? And laying involves getting dangerously close to drowning in sand"

"It was just a thought. I'm tired of standing here slowly dying..."

"I know. You're not alone in this pit. We'll figure it out"

Two more hours passed by painfully slow. They were now up to their elbows in sand. Well, as close to their elbows as it could get, they'd been standing for the past twenty minutes with their arms raised. Several more attempts had been tried and failed. Emma knew that she must look as despaired as she felt because Hook was looking at her with eyes full of compassion. She failed. She failed Henry, because she couldn't save him now. She couldn't even save herself. She failed her parents; _they'd never get a chance to know her now. At least Regina would be happy. She could take Henry back to Storybrooke without having to worry about her intruding...wait...Hook._ Hook was here with her! _No one can get home without him_. She had signed his fate when she'd tried to leave the ship that day. Because she had felt stir crazy, he was now going to lose his life. She hated herself right then. Feeling utterly, desperately useless. Averting her eyes from his view she wallowed in a pit of self-loathing, not unlike this god forsaken pit, until something touched her.

While thinking of everyone that she had let down, Emma hadn't noticed Hook slowly making his way closer to her. His slow strides stopped only when she was close enough for him to hold. Then he carefully put his arms around her, doing just that. Instead of shying away from his touch she embraced him back. Banding her own arms around what was left of his torso.

"I'm so sorry. I'm the reason we're in this mess... I've been a terrible mother... I am a terrible mother and daughter. I didn't want to let them in. Everyone leaves, no matter what I do. They left me alone the same way that I left Henry. I'm a failure. I've tried to make it right and look what happened? I'm sorry that you had to die because of me..." she trailed off not knowing what else to say she rid herself of everything that had been weighing her down. The exhaustion of the entire week hit her at once like a brick wall. Softly she began to cry on his shoulder. Hook didn't say anything. Just ran a soothing hand across her hair and back trying to take away the pain. A few minutes after her tears began to ebb Hook broke the silence with his own confession.

"I'd gladly die for you any day. Emma, I love you" the latter part of his statement was whispered so softly. Had he not been next to her ear she wouldn't have heard it. She didn't reply, only held him tighter. She wasn't sure what she felt for the pirate.

As he continued to comfort her distraught body, her mind set to work remembering every moment together that they'd shared. Beginning with the first time that they'd met in the Enchanted Forest, to them meeting again in Storybrooke, and the journey they'd recently shared. From the moment that she met him Emma wanted to trust Hook. Up on that bean stalk she had a feeling that he was trustworthy and loyal, but she'd cuffed him because she couldn't take a chance that he would double cross her. Not when she had to get back to Henry. Then in Storybrooke she couldn't trust anything about him while he was in alliance with Cora, then he'd joined Tamara and Greg steal the magic beans to sail away…but he came back. Now that she thought about it, _Hook always came back…even when there was nothing to gain. He'd felt guilty for his actions and asked to help. He wanted to help us…he wanted to help me…he came back for me…_It was in that moment that Emma could feel all of the emotions that she'd been denying about the Captain swell around her heart. She did love Hook. _I love Hook…_As the thought really hit home she pulled away from him and looked into his face. Solemn and concerned, "Say it again" she probed. "I love you, Emma" he answered staring directly into her eyes, "I always have". Her human lie detector was reading the honesty on his face like an open book. With her eyes trained on his impossibly blue ones she countered with "I love you, too". Neither realized how far they had sunk into the sand. Just four hours ago they'd been scouting the island bantering together, now they were chest deep in quick sand proclaiming their love to one another.

"Kiss me" he whispered. Emma was listening intently to him. Hyper aware of everything about him, but when he'd asked her to kiss him it was so tender that she couldn't move. She could only stare at him. After a moment of complete silence he let out a shaky breath "please…"

"Well, I suppose if we're to die in quick sand we might as well die happily, right?" With the tension cut Emma let a wide smile engulf her face and hook mirrored the action before she lifted her head slightly and kissed her pirate for the second time. This kiss was less hurried than the first, but with equal passion, because they both poured everything that they had into it. Never wanting to come up for air, for fear of this being their last kiss, they were surprised by a shriek from behind them.

What little they could turn, they did and noticed what appeared to be Mary Margaret with her hands covering her mouth, searching for something to pull them out. Next to her was David seemingly disturbed by the sight he'd just witnessed. In a moment he was snapped out of his unbelieving daze by Hook who called out them "Watch your step, mate. There are pits of quick sand littered through this section. Wouldn't want to get stuck yourselves"

"I noticed the quick sand, my daughter is currently stuck inside of one, but thanks for the heads up though" David shot back sarcastically all the while grabbing a stick he'd found a few feet away. Offering one end to Emma, he and Mary Margaret pulled her out to safety. Being out of the sand was a giant relief. The sand had been constricting, emotionally and physically. Now she felt light and free. It only lasted a moment, though, as she saw her parents struggling to get Hook out as well. Frantically she grabbed a hold of the stick and helped them pull him free.

As soon as they both touched the floor they collapsed onto their backs. Just lying and watching the sky, trying to regain their breath. After a few minutes Emma turned her head to face Hook who was already gazing at her.

Disregarding their audience he broke the silence with a barely audible, "Did you mean it? Now that we're not dying, I mean, I'll understand" he was giving her an out. He thought that she'd been trying to make up for killing him. She pulled herself up into a sitting position. Hook followed suit. Then she lifted her hands to gently cup his face, "I wasn't lying. I love you, Killian and you're not going to be able to get rid of me now and you can't ever leave, promise"

"Say it again"

"I love you, Killian" That was all that he needed to hear. He closed the gap between them and whispered between kisses, "I promise I'll never leave you", "I love you".

Neither noticed David and Mary Margret behind them watching this entire scene unfold. "Umm, David? I think that we missed something". When she turned to David his face had softened from his initial irritation at the pirate. His daughter had found love. He knew how important that was. Pulling Mary Margaret closer he said "Yeah, let's hope this is the last suitor, because I don't know how many more I can handle"

**A/N: Wow…Emma laid some pretty heavy self-hatred out for Hook, which may seem slightly out of character, but she's quickly being pulled to her death by quick sand with no signs that they can actually get out, so I think she'd want to confess her views like everyone else… I think that's it. **

**Thank you for reading and Have a great day!**


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